Written Answers Wednesday 21 July 2010

Scottish Executive

Fertility Services

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS boards have fully implemented the recommendations made in 2000 by the Expert Advisory Group on Infertility Services in Scotland report and revised in May 2004 by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland at the request of the Scottish Executive Health Directorate.

Shona Robison: The most up to date information on this is contained within the NHS Board survey carried out by Infertility Network Scotland. The survey is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 49114).

Fertility Services

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the variation in access criteria applied to NHS fertility treatment in NHS boards.

Shona Robison: The National Infertility Group has been asked to look at standardisation of access criteria across Scotland and make recommendations to Scottish Government Ministers.

Fertility Services

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-34552 by Shona Robison on 23 June 2010, when it received the interim report from the Infertility Network Scotland on IVF services.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government received Infertility Network Scotland’s interim report on 29 January 2010.

Fertility Services

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W–34553 by Shona Robison on 23 June 2010, in what month it will publish the Interim Report from Infertility Network Scotland on IVF services.

Shona Robison: Infertility Network Scotland’s interim report was discussed at the second meeting of the National Infertility Group on 13 July, and the report will be published on the maternity services website www.maternityservices.scot.nhs.uk and a copy placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51348) at the end of July 2010.

Fertility Services

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-34555 by Shona Robison on 23 June 2010, on what date in 2009 that the intention to set up the National Infertility Group was first announced.

Shona Robison: The intention to set up the National Infertility Group was first announced in a Scottish Government press release on 31 May 2009.

Fertility Services

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-34554 by Shona Robison on 23 June 2010, when ministers expect to receive the recommendations from the National Infertility Group and when they will respond.

Shona Robison: The National Infertility Group will provide its first report to Scottish Government Ministers by the end of 2010.

Fertility Services

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the findings of the Infertility Network Scotland following its survey of NHS boards on infertility services.

Shona Robison: The National Infertility Group discussed the findings of the survey undertaken by Infertility Network Scotland, and many of the issues raised by the survey are being considered by the group. The group will submit its first report to Scottish Government Ministers by the end of 2010.

Fertility Services

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to address the issues identified by the Infertility Network Scotland following its survey of NHS boards on infertility services.

Shona Robison: The work of the National Infertility Group seeks to address a number of issues concerning infertility services in Scotland. The group will submit its first report to Scottish Government Ministers by the end of 2010.

Fertility Services

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to encourage the engagement of (a) fertility experts and (b) patients with NHS boards to discuss current services and potential improvements.

Shona Robison: The work of the National Infertility Group seeks to address a number of issues concerning infertility services in Scotland. Fertility experts and the patient stakeholder group, Infertility Network Scotland, are core members of the group.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether patients with obstructive sleep apnoea are given access to a weight management programme when their weight is assessed to be a contributory factor for the condition.

Shona Robison: In line with Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) Guideline 73 on the management of sleep apnoea in adults, sleep medicine services routinely provide weight reduction management advice as one of the lifestyle management factors that can have a positive effect on reducing the symptomatic effects of the condition.

  In doing so, they will be assisted by our Counterweight programme, a Primary Care initiative under which a Weight Management Adviser provides adults referred to the programme with advice on how to achieve and maintain a healthy weight through diet and physical activity.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure that people are given early diagnosis and treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea.

Shona Robison: Clinicians in NHSScotland are expected to follow the recommendations in Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) Guideline 73 in relation to the diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnoea in adults.

  NHS Boards are working to reduce waiting times for services such as sleep apnoea, which were previously excluded from waiting time standards, to ensure that they meet the 18 weeks referral to treatment target by the end of 2011.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether GPs and NHS staff can refer patients for chiropractic treatment.

Shona Robison: NHS boards in Scotland are responsible for providing NHS services in accordance with national and local priorities and in line with the health needs of the population.

  The Scottish Government recognises that complementary or alternative therapies, including chiropractic, may offer relief to some people suffering from a wide variety of conditions, and it is open to NHS boards in Scotland to make such services available based on an assessment of needs within their respective areas.

  Guidance issued to NHS boards in August 2005 sets out the framework for the provision of these services in the NHS. This guidance is available from:

  http://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/mels/HDL2005_37.pdf.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made to set up a managed clinical network for the management of chronic pain.

Shona Robison: We continue to support the Managed Clinical Network for Chronic Pain in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. To help promote that MCN approach, the Lead Clinician of the Network is a member of the Scottish Chronic Pain Steering Group set up by our Lead Clinician for Chronic Pain.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients are on waiting lists for a chronic pain management service in each NHS board area.

Shona Robison: Most pain clinics provide services to patients in an outpatient setting. Information on out patient waiting lists are collected centrally at speciality level only and does not differentiate between different types of clinics within the specialty. Consequently the information requested is not available centrally.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS boards have achieved the HEAT target to lower the prescribing rate of antidepressants by March 2010.

Shona Robison: Latest official statistics on the defined daily dose per capita for antidepressants, prescribed in Scotland that were dispensed by community pharmacists or dispensing doctors anywhere in the UK can be found on the ISDScotland website at:

  www.isdscotland.org/isd/3671.html.

  Information is presented by NHS board for financial years up to 2008-09.

  Provisional statistics for financial year 2009-10 are planned to be published on  28 September 2010.

  We do not anticipate that any NHS board will meet the target to level off the annual rate of increase of defined daily dose per capita of antidepressants which was due to be achieved by 31 March this year.

  However, the HEAT target has driven a much better understanding of the issues that impact on anti-depressant prescribing across Scotland. As our understanding has improved, it has become clearer that we can not be sure that implementing evidence based prescribing behaviour will lead to a reduction in antidepressant usage. We have therefore reviewed the target and are committed to developing an access to psychological therapies target for inclusion in HEAT in 2011-12. We will continue to track antidepressant prescribing across Scotland to see what impact improving access to psychological therapies has on prescribing behaviour.

Health

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for revised guidance from the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network to be developed for the treatment and care of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Shona Robison: Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) Guideline 48 on the Management of Early Rheumatoid Arthritis which was published in December 2000 and updated in October 2004 is due to be replaced by a revised Guideline this autumn. The revised Guideline will address diagnosis, pharmacological treatment, and the role of the  multi-disciplinary team in improving care of the rheumatoid arthritis patient. It will also include issues for discussion with patients. Clinicians in NHSScotland are expected to follow the recommendations in SIGN Guidelines.

  As is now its practice, SIGN will be preparing an implementation programme to accompany publication of the revised Guideline.

Health

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for a rheumatoid arthritis strategy for Scotland.

Shona Robison: Our national strategies relate to the clinical priorities of NHSScotland, as set out in Better Health, Better Care , and the Government has no plans to expand these.

  However, the Government recognises rheumatoid arthritis (RA) as a serious condition which profoundly affects the lives of many people in Scotland. A wide range of work is therefore in hand to address it, including:

  The exploration of a Managed Clinical Network approach to RA services;

  The revision of Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) Guideline 48 and the associated implementation programme being developed by NHS QIS;

  The commissioning of the Scottish Public Health Network to undertake an update of the needs assessment for RA published by the Scottish Needs Assessment Programme in 2002;

  Consideration of the approach to the management of RA that has been developed in the East of England;

  Our general work on developing a musculo-skeletal programme based on integrated multi-disciplinary teams within community settings, incorporating the service model for pain management services that we are also developing; and

  The work of the Orthopaedics Task & Finish group set up as part of the 18 weeks referral to treatment programme.

  People living with RA will also benefit from our generic work on long-term conditions, including in particular our work on promoting self management.

Health

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what incentives exist for GPs to (a) identify and (b) manage (i) overweight and (ii) underweight patients.

Shona Robison: GP practices are entitled to receive additional funding when they produce a register of patients aged 16 and over with a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 in the previous 15 months.

  There are no similar cash incentives for GPs dealing with patients who are underweight. However, we would expect GPs to use their professional judgement and take the appropriate action for any patient showing signs or suffering from anorexia or bulimia or who are generally underweight using current BMI scales. Anyone with a BMI under 20 is classified as being underweight.

  The management of patients in these categories include diet, change of life style, healthy eating, nutrition, exercise, detailed health plans etc. Apart from GPs who are normally the first point of contact for patients, dieticians, nutritionists and other healthcare professionals may also be involved in the management of such patients.

Health

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients have been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, broken down by NHS board, in each year since 2007.

Shona Robison: The information requested is not available centrally. On the basis of previous population surveys it is estimated that there are approximately 10,500 people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in Scotland.

  The national MS register, which ISD and the Multiple Sclerosis Society Scotland have been developing, with some start-up funding from the Scottish Government, began to collect information on new cases of MS in January 2010. The register should, in time, provide more accurate data on the incidence and prevalence of the condition in Scotland. The clinical standards for neurological services published at the beginning of this year by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland will also promote the gathering of better data on conditions such as MS.

Licensing

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason the National Licensing Forum was disbanded.

Kenny MacAskill: The National Licensing Forum was disbanded by the previous administration.

Licensing

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any local authority has taken an appeal to court against its own licensing committee and, if so, when and what the result was.

Kenny MacAskill: This information is not held centrally.

Licensing

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-30561 by Kenny MacAskill on 19 January 2010, how many interpretation assignments have been undertaken by the Scottish Court Service in each month of 2010, broken down by interpreters (a) with and (b) without a Diploma in Public Service Interpreting.

Kenny MacAskill: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court Service (SCS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCS who will reply in writing.

Licensing

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, since the implementation of the framework contract for the provision of interpreting, translation and transcription services, on how many occasions courts have advised the Scottish Court Service about a case in which an aspect of the performance of the interpretation service has had an effect on proceedings, broken down by month, and how this compares with the situation prior to the introduction of the framework contract.

Kenny MacAskill: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court Service (SCS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCS who will reply in writing.

Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking on the recommendations of the Regulatory Review Group regarding the operation of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government is using the Criminal Justice and Licensing Bill to address a number of issues that arose during the transition period from the 1976 Act to the 2005 Act, and work is already ongoing in respect of variations and revised statutory guidance. I indicated to stakeholders that we would review the prescribed forms to see whether they can be improved and, following the publication of its recommendations, I have asked the Regulatory Review Group to give further consideration to this. I have invited COSLA to examine the proposal for a national licensing forum.

Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will address the variation across Scotland in premises licence fees from £200 to £2,000 identified by the Regulatory Review Group in its review of the operation of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005.

Kenny MacAskill: No. Premises licence application fees and annual fees are set by licensing boards in line with the Licensing (Fees) (Scotland) Regulations 2007. These fees are linked to the rateable value of the premises concerned. This approach was agreed by licensing boards and most of the licensed trade and was based on independent research which recommended that while some anomalies would arise, a link to rateable value was the fairest approach overall. We do not consider that a further and full review of fee arrangements should be taken forward in the short term, nor do we consider it desirable to return to the fee arrangements under the 1976 Act where a small gift shop paid the same as a large supermarket.

Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the rateable value banding system for licence fees under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005.

Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-34977 on 21 July 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx

Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to introduce standardised licence application forms and issue guidance to applicants relating to the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005.

Kenny MacAskill: Standardised forms are already in place by virtue of secondary legislation. These include the forms for premises licence applications, personal licence applications, a standard template for operating plans and a specification for layout plans. I have already given an undertaking to review forms in light of transition. I have accepted the Regulatory Review Groups offer to begin this process. Guidance to applicants is also available and we are happy to consider whether that needs to be revised.

Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider convening a working group to look at difficulties arising from the operation of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005.

Kenny MacAskill: There are already mechanisms in place to allow stakeholders to raise any issues that they feel should be re-examined, for example the Scottish Government Alcohol Industry Partnership, the ACPOS Licensing Group, and the Retailers’ Working Group. Discussions with these groups have allowed us to use the Criminal Justice and Licensing Bill to address a number of issues and we will continue to work with stakeholders as the 2005 Act beds in.

Mental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment there has been of NHS boards in meeting quality standards in terms of the integrated care pathway for mental health services due for implementation and assessment from 2009, as recommended in the Audit Scotland report, Overview of Mental Health Services .

Shona Robison: There are no specific recommendations in the Audit Scotland report, Overview of Mental Health Services , on the national standards for integrated care pathways (ICPs) for mental health.

  NHS boards are responsible for developing and implementing local ICPs based on these national standards, with support from and assessment and accreditation by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS).

  All boards achieved the first stage (the "foundation stage") of accreditation by the September 2009 deadline; and they continue to work with NHS QIS to meet further accreditation levels.

NHS Staff

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to ensure that community nurses are trained to (a) identify and (b) treat malnutrition.

Shona Robison: The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), the UK nursing and midwifery regulator, sets the standards of education and training that nurses and midwives need to deliver high quality healthcare. The NMC is responsible for approving education programmes in line with its Standards of Proficiency for Pre-registration Nursing Education and Standards of Proficiency for Specialist Community Public Health Nurses and Specialist Community Nurses.

  NMC approved pre and post registration nursing and midwifery programmes include competencies relating to the standards for the delivery of safe and effective nutritional care; including assessment, referral, care planning and delivery.

  Following registration, nursing professionals are expected to maintain their skills and competencies in relation to their area of practice and the patient population for whom they care. NHS boards may develop and deliver local educational initiatives for community nurses as part of their continuous professional development.

  Within a community context, registered nurses will be involved in the assessment of nutrition status as part of wider healthcare assessments and appropriate referral to clinical experts, including dieticians, GPs and other professionals with appropriate expertise.

  Community nurses may be involved in the treatment of malnutrition by delivering the nursing elements of an individual’s care package as part of a wider multi-disciplinary team approach.

Prison Service

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many charges were brought as a result of the (a) 45 attacks on prison staff at HMP Addiewell and (b) 16 attacks at HMP Saughton in 2009, broken down by disposals applied.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Willie Pretswell, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  In the orderly room, (a) a total of 48 charges were brought in respect of these incidents at HMP Addiewell, and (b) 16 charges were brought in respect of the incidents at HMP Edinburgh.

  The punishments awarded in respect of these incidents are as follows:

  HMP Addiewell

  

 Award
 Number of Awards


 Caution
 1


 Forfeiture of Privileges
 25


 Stoppage/deduction of earning or other cash
 20


 Cellular Confinement
 9


 Forfeiture of other entitlements, e.g to wear own clothes
 0



  In addition, there was one Not Guilty finding, three cases were dismissed and hearings for 6 charges are adjourned at the time of writing.

  HMP Edinburgh

  

 Award
 Number of Awards


 Caution
 0


 Forfeiture of Privileges
 13


 Stoppage/deduction of earning or other cash
 12


 Cellular Confinement
 3


 Forfeiture of other entitlements, e.g to wear own clothes
 0



  In addition, two charges are adjourned at the time of writing.

Prison Service

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the terms of the contract for the operation of HMP Kilmarnock.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  The SPS has no current plans to review the terms of the contract for HMP Kilmarnock.

  There is a mechanism for change which is specified in the contract which can be invoked to take account of changes in legislation or the requirements of the SPS or the Scottish Government.

Prison Service

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the differences between the contract for the operation of HMP Kilmarnock and HMP Addiewell with reference to (a) value for money and (b) reduction in reoffending.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  Both contracts have been drawn up to deliver value for money and each contributes to the Scottish Government and Scottish Prison Services strategy to reduce re-offending. Each is contributing towards those goals albeit in different ways.

Racism

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information is collected on the incidence of anti-Semitism in Scotland.

Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government publishes annual statistics on racist incidents recorded and cleared up by Scottish police forces: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Crime-Justice/PubRacistIncidents .

  The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service also publishes statistics for crimes of racial and religious prejudice in Scotland which have been reported to them:

  http://www.copfs.gov.uk/About/Departmental-Overview/diversity/racist-crime/Statistics0506

  http://www.copfs.gov.uk/About/Departmental-Overview/diversity/racist-crime/Analysus.

  Information on incidents related specifically to anti-Semitism is not held centrally.

Racism

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is evidence to suggest that recent anti-Semitic graffiti at Glenduffhill cemetery can be considered an isolated incident.

Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government has no information to suggest that the incident was anything other than an isolated incident of anti-Semitic graffiti at this cemetery.

Schools

Bill Kidd (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average cost is of building a primary school with pupil numbers between 400 and 450.

Keith Brown: The information that would be needed to calculate, by pupil numbers, an average cost of building a school is not held by the Scottish Government. Therefore, we are not able to provide an average cost for building a primary school with between 400 and 450 pupils.

Scottish Government Expenditure

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the income of each (a) college and (b) university came, directly or indirectly, from the Scottish Government in 2009-10.

Keith Brown: This is an operational matter for the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) and I will ask the Chief Executive to write to you. Please note that as SFC provide funding to colleges and universities on an academic year basis the information for 2009-10 will not be available until the end of December 2010.

Scottish Government Expenditure

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanisms exist for providing accountability for the expenditure of public money in (a) colleges and (b) universities.

Keith Brown: Core funding for colleges and universities is provided through the Scottish Funding Council (SFC). The Financial Memorandum between the SFC and the institutions it funds, requires the SFC to ensure that colleges and universities are making proper arrangements for governance, financial management and accounting. As Accountable Officer, the SFC Chief Executive is ultimately accountable to Parliament for ensuring that institutions are utilising the funds they have been given in a manner consistent with the purpose for which they were allocated.

  In addition, the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 2005 provides that the Auditor General for Scotland may inspect the accounts and accounting records of all institutions funded by the SFC.

Scottish Government Expenditure

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the procedures are for appointments to the Scottish Funding Council and what aspects of these relate to accountability for the expenditure of public money.

Keith Brown: Appointments to the board of the Scottish Funding Council follow procedures that comply with The Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland Code for Ministerial Appointments.